Skills vs. instructions
Both shape how agents behave. The difference is when they apply:| Instructions | Skills | |
|---|---|---|
| When they apply | Always, in every conversation | When the task calls for it |
| Best for | Tone, language, formatting, company-wide rules | Workflows, analysis templates, task-specific knowledge |
| Made of | A short text | Instructions plus optional files |
What’s in a skill
| Part | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Name and description | Tells the agent what the skill does and when to use it. The description determines when the skill is loaded. |
| Instructions | Defines the steps, data, and output for the task. |
| Files (optional) | Provides reference documents, data, scripts, or images used by the instructions. |
/weekly-channel-review. Type it in the message box to run the skill directly.
Where skills live
Go to Agents → Settings → Skills. Skills are grouped by owner:| Group | What it contains |
|---|---|
| My skills | Skills you created |
| Shared with me | Skills created and shared by teammates |
| Dema skills | Built-in skills that you can use but not edit |
Creating a skill
Select New skill, then choose how to create it:- Create with agent
- Write skill instructions
- Upload a skill
The agent asks about the task, then drafts the skill for you to review. Describe the result you want:
Create a skill for weekly channel performance reviews: analyze the last 8 weeks by channel, compare week over week, and recommend which channels to scale or investigate.
Adding files to a skill
Open a skill you own and select + in the files sidebar. Dema stores documents inreferences/, scripts in scripts/, and images or media in assets/. Select a file to preview it.
A skill with files looks like this:
SKILL.md
references
price-list-2026.csv
margin-definitions.md
scripts
weekly_report.py
assets
report-template.png
SKILL.md contains the skill’s name, description, and instructions. Other files provide material the agent needs for the task, such as a current price list or an analysis script.
Using a skill
A skill can load automatically or on request:| Method | How it works |
|---|---|
| Automatic | The agent loads an enabled skill when its description matches your request. |
| Manual | Type / in the message box and select the skill, or select Try in chat from the skill page. |
Skills and your agents
The built-in assistant uses the skills you enable in Settings. This choice applies only to you. Agents you create have a Skills section in their configuration. Add a skill from your library or write one for that agent. Everyone who uses the agent can use its skills through the agent. When you add a private skill to a shared agent, everyone who can use the agent may also be able to use that skill through it. Dema shows who gains access before you confirm. See Sharing agents and sessions.Sharing a skill
A skill can be visible to just you (private), to specific teams, or to everyone in your organization. Only the owner can change this from the skill’s visibility control. Narrowing a shared skill back down warns you if people would lose access through agents that use it. See Access and sharing for the general model.Moving skills around
Export a skill to move it to another organization or keep a backup. The.skill file includes its instructions and attached files.
To import one, select New skill → Upload a skill. If the slug already exists, Dema asks how to handle it.
Writing a good skill
Write only the task-specific guidance the agent needs:- Describe when to use it. “Analyze campaign profitability across channels. Use when asked to evaluate campaigns or reallocate marketing spend” is clearer than “A skill about campaigns.”
- Define the task. Include the steps, required definitions, and expected output.
- Keep one job per skill. Split unrelated tasks into separate skills.
- Remove general advice. Keep information that is specific to your organization or workflow.